Leadership at CONPLEI 2008

by Craig Combs

Brazil

An interview with Henrique Dias Terena, President of Brazil’s National Evangelical Council of Indigenous Pastors and Leaders (CONPLEI).

WBTI: Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you come from.

My name is Henrique Dias Terena. I was born in Mato Grosso do Sul, in south central Brazil, and I became a Christian at the age of nine. This has made all the difference in my life.

WBTI: How did God get your attention, and bring you to the point of putting your faith in Jesus Christ?

The main point was the transformation that my family went through. This was like a foundation for my own faith – the testimony of my own family.

WBTI: How would you describe the impact the Bible in your language, Terena, has had on you personally?

My own language is in fact something that touches my heart. When someone has the opportunity to read the Word of God in his own language it is amazing how impactful it is, with consequences for the whole life. The main point impacting my life was the understanding that Jesus is not just a man himself, but he is God. This realization was the opposite of my expectation, and was how I became a believer. I understood the place Jesus has in the Word of God, as the incarnation of God.

WBTI: What would you say are the major events leading to your vision for this movement called CONPLEI?

The first thing to understand is that this idea was a project of God and we understood that CONPLEI and could be a movement in the heart of God for the indigenous people of Brazil.

In 1990, there was a meeting in Brasilia of 12 (Indian church) leaders. We were all praying and asking God to touch the leaders among the Indians to be united for the cause of the indigenous people of Brazil. That meeting was the first time the 12 leaders ever met together. Before that, we did not know each other. But as we met together, we found that we were all talking the same language, the same goals, and the same perspective. This meeting was like a breakthrough – in our minds.

WBTI: What brought the leaders together in the first place? Was any outside organization involved?

We received an invitation to go to the capital, Brasilia, to meet and start to think together about how the evangelical leaders could be involved in working together. Four among the 12 of us were studying at a university in Brasilia, and they invited the others, to be together to think about the cause. I was not part of that group of four; I was invited by them. We consider that CONPLEI was born on that day in 1990.

WBTI: What do you see as the main forces or issues within the indigenous community here in Brazil, which drove you toward that vision?

First of all was the need to unite the evangelicals among the indigenous people. We were not disunited, just isolated – in terms of geography and in terms of faith.

WBTI: What would you say are the major aims of CONPLEI here in Brazil – or in Latin America? What do you want to see happen through this movement?

The first idea is that CONPLEI is a movement. We understand that God has given us some goals. The first goal is to encourage the leaders among the Indians. The second is the importance of the structure of the local churches among the Indians. These two points are like a “rail” along which CONPLEI is walking or running. We see this as a long term project.

WBTI: How many indigenous people, from how many tribes, have you registered at this CONPLEI?

We had 48 nations represented and about 1250 leaders.

WBTI: What are some of the outside organizations that you have been able to form partnerships with?

There are 20 national agencies and five outside, overseas organizations involved. Among the latter are organizations like ALTECO, I-TEC and Wind of Help. There are also two new groups that are in the process of forming an association with us.

WBTI: During this CONPLEI conference, you have highlighted some big issues in the indigenous community – like infanticide and alcoholism. Looking to the future, to 2012, what other issues might be highlighted?

We consider that those two issues will remain on the agenda because they are so difficult to face; they are a strong challenge. There may be others, but we know that we will continue to focus on those two in the future.

Photo: Craig Combs